Beaker & Flask

At this East Side eatery, bartending virtuoso Kevin Ludwig leaves standard bar food in the rearview mirror. Try the grilled pork cheeks with braised peppers, pickled octopus, and aioli, and the chanterelle mushrooms with parsley, garlic, and smoked bone marrow.

Sanchez Taqueria

A perfect stopover on the way to the pinot patches, this taqueria serves up a corn griddle-cake called a huarache that’s the size of a running shoe and is topped with everything you love about Mexican American fare—carne asada, pico de gallo, sour cream, and shredded lettuce. Add a pair of exemplary chicken tacos and an open-face torta sandwich piled with carnitas to complete the feast.

East India Company

With its restrained décor and hushed atmosphere, the place doesn’t necessarily feel like India, but the perfectly spiced and flaky samosa, fluffy and garlicky naan, saag aloo, and light-as-air rice more than make up for the Olive Garden-comes-to-Mumbai aesthetic.

Le Pigeon

Settle in for an action-packed seat at the cozy bar; order this bright, lemony salad; and dive into the biggest pile of greens you’ve seen this side of a farmers market stand. Get your pork fix in the cornbread, a dense and not-too-sweet cake dotted with sharp apricots and smoky bacon.

Evoe

With ingredients provided by Pastaworks, Evoe’s next-door neighbor, former Castagna chef Kevin Gibson offers $20 meals that he prepares in front of you. The menu changes weekly as Gibson sensually chops, tears, and massages his raw materials into dishes like a chicken and chanterelle croustillant.

Toro Bravo

Given the vast selection of small plates at this buzzing tapas place, staying disciplined can be challenging. Focus on a generous combination of earthy green olives, tangy manchego, and radicchio; an improbably tall smoked pork-shoulder sandwich that almost dissolves into one big flavor hit of pork; and a fat-cutting side of braised torpedo onions with Spanish romesco.

Podnah’s Pit

Just give in to this atmosphere-free dive and gobble up the concoction of corn chips, chili, and cheese served on a Fritos bag that’s been gently folded open. It’s a lot to handle, but save room for the ridiculously tender brisket sandwich, a side of cornbread, and a little bowl of greens—which is there to cancel out the effects of a sweet pecan pie.

Navarre

Commence your meal modestly at this reliably wonderful restaurant with a heaping pile of garlicky braised chard and a side of country bread from Ken’s Artisan Bakery. Finish with luxury: a small ration of Navarre’s decadent crab cakes.

Du Kuh Bee

OK, we lied. This meal breaks the $20 budget, but it’s worth every penny. No two of Du Kuh Bee’s rustic hand-cut wheat noodles, pleasantly chewy and pencil-thick, are alike. Try them tossed with chunks of tender squid and an order of candy-sweet Korean barbecued beef ribs served on a bed of grilled onions. And for your post-boozing satisfaction, Du Kuh Bee serves these edible delights until 1 a.m. on the weekends.